Portable cleaning tool and the like



June 23, 1964 D. D, JONES ETAL 3,137,975

PORTABLE CLEANING TOOL AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. l, 1962 United StatesPatent O 3,137,975 PRTABLE CLEANING TOOL AND TIM LIKE Donald D. Jones,Roxana, and Charles A. Headley, Alton, Ill., assignors to McDonnellAircraft Corporation, St. Louis County, Mo., a corporation of MarylandFiled Nov. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 234,756 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-73) The inventiondescribed herein was made in the performance of work under a NASAcontract and is subject to the provisions of the National Aeronauticsand Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 (72 Stat. 426; 42 U.S.C. 2451),as amended'.

The present invention relates generally to cleaning tools and the likeand more particularly to a portable tool for cleaning and/ or polishingsurfaces such as surfaces on tubular and cylindrical members.

Many tools and other means have been devised and used for cleaning andpolishing various objects. So far as known, however, no one heretoforehas devised a portable tool which is particularly constructed andadapted to clean and/ or polish an external cylindrical surface such asthe outer surface of a tube or pipe while keeping the interior of thesame free of contamination and at the same time protecting theimmediately adjacent area from any loose particles or Icontaminants.There are many objects and devices which can be cleaned and polishedy bythe subject tool, and there are many reasons for cleaning and polishingsurfaces. For example, it is often necessary to clean a portion of amember in order to make a good connection thereof to another member.Furthermore, the cleaning oftentimes has to be performed at a work siteand under conditions of limited access and restricted workingconditions. No known tool has been satisfactory for these purposes.rI`he present invention however, overcomes these disadvantages andshortcomings of the prior art by teaching the construction and operationof a simple hand tool which is particularly adapted to operate inconditions of limited space, and access to clean and/or polishcylindrical parts such as parts of tubes and pipes to be joineld.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide asimple portable hand tool for cleaning and polishing cylindricalsurfaces.

Another object is to provide a tool which can operate in places oflimited access and space.

Another object is to provide means for improving connections betweentubular and cylindrical members and the like.

Another object is to provide a relatively inexpensive tool whichrequires little or no special skill or training to operate.

Another object is to provide a tool which can be made to operate ondifferent sized work.

Another object is to provide a cleaning tool which can be powered byconventional available power sources.

Another object is to provide a cleaning and polishing tool with vacuumsuction means for carrying away debris.

Yet another object is to provide a relative light weight cleaning andpolishing tool.

The subject tool comprises a housing having a handle portion on one endand a work engaging portion on another end, said work engaging portionhaving a work receiving opening and a tool member rotatably positionedtherein, said tool member having an open end and a cylindrical abrasiveinner surface large enough to freely receive a portion of a member to becleaned and/ or polished, drive means operatively connected to said toolmember for rotating said tool member in the work receiving opening, andvacuum suction means including a conduit mounted in said housing, saidconduit having a suction inlet adjacent to the open end of the workpiece ICC and means connecting said conduit to a vacuum pressure source.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent after considering the following detailed specificationof a preferred embodiment of the subject tool in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View of a tool constructed according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the tool of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 4 4of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the tool as seen on line 5-5of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numbers, number1l) refers to a cleaning tool designed specifically to clean and/orpolish the end portions of tubular members such as the end portion oftubular member 11 in FIG. 3. The tool 10 has a housing 12 with a handleportion 13 and a head or operating portion 14. The operating portion 14has a cylindrical chamber 15 in which is rotatably positioned acylindrical member 16. The member 16 has a cylindrical socket 17 inwhich is positioned a tubular cleaning or abrading member 13 which isthe work engaging member of the tool. The inner surface 19 of the member18 is formed by a cleaning, abrading or polishing substance.

The member 16 has a shaft portion 20 which extends rerawardly therefromthrough the operating portion 14 of the housing. The shaft portion 20has a gear 22 mounted thereon at an intermediate location and the gearis connected to the shaft portion 20 by a pin 23. The pin 23 extendsacross a passage 21 through the shaft 20 but is smaller than the passage21 to allow air to flow into the tool from outside.

The gear 22 on the shaft 20 meshes at right angles with a drive gear 24pinned to a drive shaft 25 by another pin 26. The drive shaft 25 extendsthrough the handle portion 13 of the housing 12 and is rotatablysupported in bearing members 27, 27a and 28 (FIG. 1). The end of thedrive shaft 25 opposite from the gears 22 and 24 extends outwardly fromthe handle portion 13 of the housing for cooperation with a chuck 29 onan electric drill or other similar portable power tool. A flexible cabledrive connection can also be used.

A tubular conduit 30 is also positioned inside the housing 12 to providevacuum suction for carrying away material removed during cleaning andpolishing. The conduit 30 has one end 31 that communicates with the headportion 14 of the tool ahead of the open end of the rotatable member 16.The opposite end of the conduit 3i) extends from the handle portion 13and has a ltting 32 thereon for connection to a source of vacuumpressure (not shown).

The head or operating end of the tool 10 is also provided with a frontcover` 33 that `has a circular work receiving opening with an annulargroove 34 formed.

around the edge thereof. The groove 34 receives a re.- silient member 35that has al tapered annular inwardly extending portion 36 delining anopening therethrough. The member 35 receives a tube to be cleaned and/orpolished. The tool 10 operates best if the tapered portion 36 of theresilient member 35 engages the tubeall the way around to form a sealtherewith even when the tube 11 is moved laterally in the opening `intoengagement with the cleaning or abrading member 18 (FIG. 3). This is sothat when the tool is operating air cannot enter the tool through theopening in the member 33. The end of the tube 11 is also partiallyclosed by a plug 37 which is designed to protect the end of the tube andalso to allow air from a source connected to the tube at a remotelocation (not shown) to move thereby. The plug 37 as shown isconstructed of a metal member 37a which has a central port 37btherethrough. An annular resilient member 37C is positioned on themember 37a and engages the end of the tube 11. The combination of thesuction tube 30, the passage 21, and a remote air source establish flowout from and around the end of the tube and through the socket 17 in thespace between the tube 11 and the liner 18. This ow pattern carries theresidue produced during cleaning out through the suction tube 30. Insome cases where extreme cleanliness is required, the remote air sourcemay be replaced by a source of an inert gas such as argon. This is doneto prevent oxidation of the parts being cleaned.

The housing 12 is also provided with a removable cover plate 38 oppositefrom the front cover 33 for access to the gears 22 and 24. The cover 38is attached to the housing by screws 39. Another screw 40 (FIG. 5) isprovided to hold the bearing member 27a in position. A bearing member 41is also mounted in the head portion 14 of the housing 12 to rotatablysupport the tubular shaft 20 (FIG. 3).

The cleaning member 18 can be frictionally engaged in the socket 17 orif desired can be attached by adhesive means. The member 18 has a largerinternal diameter than the outside diameter of the tube 11 or othermember to be cleaned, and cleaning is accomplished by holding the toolon the end of the tube 11 as shown in FIG. 3 and moving the tool (or thetube) around in the socket so that all portions of the tube are cleaned.This normally requires very little strength or movement and can beperformed in a very limited area with limited access.

One of the main purposes for the present tool is to provide means forpreparing the end portions of tubes prior to connecting them to othertubes, pipes or ttings by a brazing or soldering process. If suchconnections are to be strong and leakproof it is necessary to have thesurfaces to be joined in extremely clean conditions. In some casescleaning alone may not be enough and it may be necessary to also polishthe tube ends to assure a strong connection. This can be done by thepresent tool using a ner abrasive. It is also contemplated to use thesubjected tool as a grinder to remove high spots and roughness andpossibly also to reduce the size of the tube or other object. This canbe done with the subject tool using still diierent grades of abrasivematerials. Many other uses and operations can also be performed with thesubject tool and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Thus there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of anovel tool which fullls all of the objects and advantages soughttherefor. Many changes, modifications and variations of the subjecttool, however, will become apparent to those skilled in the art afterconsidering this specification and the accompanying drawing. All suchchanges, modications and variations which do not depart from the spiritand scope of the invention are deemed covered by the invention which islimited only by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for cleaning a work piece, the tool comprising a body having achamber therein, a closure for said chamber formed with an opening toreceive the work piece, a cleaning member rotatably mounted in said bodyand confined in said chamber in position to engage the work piece, saidchamber having spaced inlet and outlet openings communicating throughsaid cleaning member, suction means connected to said outlet opening toinduce a flow in said chamber past said cleaning member and work pieceengaged therewith to carry off the substance cleaned from the workpiece, and means operatively connected to said cleaning member to rotatethe same to clean the work piece.

2. A tool for cleaning a work piece, the tool comprising a body having achamber formed with an opening to receive the work piece, a cleaningmember rotatably mounted in said body and confined to said chamberadjacent said work piece opening, said chamber having an inlet openingremote from and an outlet opening adjacent to said work piece openingand in communication through said cleaning member, suction meansconnected to said outlet opening to cause flow in said chamber from saidinlet to said outlet opening and carry off substances cleaned from thework piece, and seal means in said work piece receiving opening toembrace the work piece and prevent short circuiting ow in said chamberfrom said work piece receiving opening to said outlet opening.

3. A tool for cleaning the exterior end of a tubular work piece, saidtool including a body having a chamber with an enlarged opening and anopposite small opening, a work piece cleaning member carried by saidbody and operatively mounted in said chamber opposite said enlargedopening and in communication with said small opening, said chamberhaving an outlet opening adjacent said enlarged opening, the work pieceentering said enlarged opening engaging said cleaning member betweensaid enlarged and small openings, a exible seal in said enlarged openingembracing the work piece and yielding upon relative movement betweensaid cleaning member and work piece, and suction means connected to saidoutlet opening to induce flow thereto from said small opening and thetubular work piece, said seal preventing short circuiting flow betweensaid outlet and adjacent enlarged opening.

4. A tool for cleaning a tubular work piece, comprising a plug in oneend of the work piece and means to clean the exterior surface at theplugged end of said work piece, said means including a body providing achamber enclosing the plugged end of said work piece, a cleaning memberoperatively arranged in said body and chamber to receive the plugged endof said work piece, said cleaning member having an opening communicatingwith the exterior of said body, said chamber having a suction out letspaced from said cleaning member opening to induce a flow through saidopening toward said outlet over said work piece and past said pluggedend to carry ofi substances cleaned from said work piece, and means insaid body connected to said cleaning member to rotate the latterrelative to said work piece.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said chamber is formedwith an access opening for said work piece, and a flexible seal ismounted therein to embrace said work piece and permit movement thereofwhile maintaining sealed relationship.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said plug has an orificetherein to open the interior of said work piece to said chamber for flowthrough said Work piece to flush out substances cleaned therefrom.

7. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said plug has an orificetherein to open the interior of said work piece to said chamber, andsaid plug orice and said opening in said cleaning member being inoff-set relation to avoid flow from said work piece and opening being indirect opposition.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,390,354 Fried Sept. 13, 1921 1,928,506 Sellberg et al Sept. 26, 19332,707,854 Johnson May l0, 1955 2,773,337 De Marchi Dec. l1, 19562,793,473 Hickman May 28, 1957

1. A TOOL FOR CLEANING A WORK PIECE, THE TOOL COMPRISING A BODY HAVING ACHAMBER THEREIN, A CLOSURE FOR SAID CHAMBER FORMED WITH AN OPENING TORECEIVE THE WORK PIECE, A CLEANING MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BODYAND CONFINED IN SAID CHAMBER IN POSITION TO ENGAGE THE WORK PIECE, SAIDCHAMBER HAVING SPACED INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS COMMUNICATING THROUGHSAID CLEANING MEMBER, SUCTION MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET OPENING TOINDUCE A FLOW IN SAID CHAMBER PAST SAID CLEANING MEMBER AND WORK PIECEENGAGED THEREWITH TO CARRY OFF THE SUBSTANCE CLEANED FROM THE WORKPIECE, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CLEANING MEMBER TO ROTATETHE SAME TO CLEAN THE WORK PIECE.